Thunderstrike's Past
by TranceWolf122
Summary: Thunderstrike, branded as an outcast, scorned and feared, finds new hope within a traveling cat and her band of friends when they set off to find their own adventures and the mystery to Thunderstrike's past life
1. Tongues Like Glass

"Hey everybody up!" A call from Dancing Feather was sounded. Cats were getting up all around but one just curled her enormously long tail over her nose and tried to bury herself further into her nest, _what did it matter? _She thought, _nobody would miss me anyway._

"Hey freak!" a stone hit her in the back of the head and she opened a bright yellow eye to see Falling Almond standing there with a taunting sneer on his face. "Get up! Didn't you hear the deputy; or are you deaf too?"

"I'll give you deaf." she muttered, opening her other eye, a rich orange before swatting the stone irritably back at his paws. But grudgingly she got up, stretching and shaking herself off. She padded bleary-eyed out of the den, being deliberately tripped by Falling Almond on the way out, but still heading to the gathering place. The deputy was giving directions to other cats, but as some saw her approaching they separated and made a large space in the crowd. She sat down heavily and watched the other cats leave with patrols.

She didn't even know why she was sitting there, she was always given the same job and those other mouse-brained cats weren't much company in the first place. The deputy rested his gaze on her, "Thunderstrike, your usual job," he began, "Checking the security of the inner territory." He was echoed by Thunderstrike in a monotonous tone. She got up, flicking her tail in annoyance as she disappeared through the rock lined tunnel.

She had heard his speech on how important this job was but she knew he had just made it up because he was as biased against her as every other flea-brain in that stupid clan. So around the inside of the territory she went, once, twice, three times. She had no reason to be back before sunhigh, she would be sent back out to check again anyway if she had even thought of doing so. She walked the trails until her paws ached with exhaustion and she had to sit down and rest underneath the shade of a large oak tree. So she rolled onto her back and stretched out to watch the clouds.

Thunderstrike noticed dandelion fluff being stirred up from nearby and watched it floating carelessly in the hot Greenleaf breeze. She found herself getting jealous, it wasn't tied down or judged for being the way it was. She felt that she was getting riled thinking about it, so consciously she got up and shook herself off, starting back to camp. As she was passing the Claw Rocks she picked up a scent, mouse.

Following the scent with her eyes as well as her nose she spotted it near a large patch of tall grass encompassing the Claw Rocks that extended towards her.

Quietly she went into the hunters crouch and let her tail rest on her back so it wouldn't trip her and she took light pawsteps as she followed the outside of tall grass. It was a painstaking process because there were many rocks and things to make noise but she slowly worked her way near it. Before she got as close as she had wanted the mouse picked up her scent and started to dash away, but she pounced on it and snapped its neck with a blow from her paw. "Good one, pay more attention though mousebrain," she muttered to herself.

She stared at the fresh-kill, _you're allowed to hunt for yourself if you're not on hunting duty, _she reasoned with herself, _besides, no one wants to go near the fresh-kill after I've chosen. _She decided to eat it before returning to camp, then checking with Dancing Feather that she had done as she had been asked. Not instructed any more tasks so wearily she dragged herself into a corner of the camp and curled into a tight ball. She liked the feeling of the sun against her pelt, and the den was way too stuffy for her most times.

"I hate this," she muttered, "How did I even end up here?" Not even she knew, the elders once told her she had been found half dead by the entrance of the camp and the previous medicine cat had rushed her inside the medicine den without another word about it. Sparkling Dew had died many seasons ago not long after Thunderstrike had been named Thunderpaw, and under extremely strange circumstances. The other cats had started whispering that she was a cursed cat and that her eyes were the mark of the dark forest or whatever they called it.

After that cats always flinched from her gaze and even the ones she had come to be really close friends with refused to speak to her again; she was pretty much a loner among a clan. When she had finally been given her name, Thunder That Strikes During Storms, the incessant torment became even worse and she had no idea why. The names always confused her, she had overheard that it was because of Tribe ancestry but they had moved to this territory and adopted clan ways to adjust.

Whatever that meant.

Thunderstrike was beginning to doze off, tired out from her round patrol and her thoughts still buzzing, when she heard a voice she knew all to well. "Hey freak!" it shouted from the entrance. She sighed lifting her head from her paws, she had a feeling this was going to be a very long day.


	2. Glimmer of Hope

Patrol again. It has felt as if she had gotten no sleep that night, whenever her tail had twitched and hit another cat they had bounded up squealing and awakening the rest of the den; that had happened more than once before Thunderstrike had gotten tired and went to sleep outside beside the den. It wasn't the wisest choice considering the fact that night it had been pouring with rain. She had gotten thoroughly soaked and was still freezing despite the warm air.

She was padding around the edge of the great ravine, wandering towards the river, when she caught an unfamiliar scent. It was definitely another cat and they weren't from the clan, they had the strangest scent and it made her head spin, pines, sun drown place, all sorts of areas. But one thing registered in her mind almost immediately, intruder. Her back prickled and tail fluffed up as she began to stalk the trail leading to the strong scent, she could make out the cat had headed up the river from nearby forest, rested that night in bushes close to the river, then got up extremely early. The scent under the bushes was already turning stale, but as she ventured a little further Thunderstrike caught sight of a golden yellow she-cat stopped at the lake where the river drained.

Thunderstrike stalked out of the bushes, "Hey!" she yowled, "What are you doing here!"

"Swimming," The she-cat responded, "It's really very hot out, want to join?" She was indeed wet all over and didn't seem to mind it at all which was unusual because of her thicker fur. She wasn't showing any signs of aggression towards Thunderstrike, in fact just the opposite. "What's wrong?" the cat asked, "Don't like water?"

"No I don't," Thunder recovered from her shock hissing, "You're not supposed to be here! This is clan territory!"

"What's a clan?" the cat asked.

Thunderstrike was taken aback, "You haven't heard of the clan?" she sputtered, "Who do you live with?"

"My friends; there's Destiny, BerryJay, Sheep, Kittypet and Tessa. We were just about to cross through here to get home but I ran out ahead because they were going too slow. I'm the fastest you know," She said proudly, puffing her chest, "Name's Budderhats!"

"Budderhats," Thunderstrike snorted, "That's a weird name."

"Well?"

She wasn't supposed to talk to trespassers and she knew it, but this was the first cat who had openly talked to her in moons. "Well what?" she replied confused.

"Well what's your name silly?" Budderhats asked cheerfully.

"Thunder That Strikes During Storms," the reply was hesitant, "O-or Thunderstrike. Either way is fine." While she was talking Budderhats had been following her tail with her eyes, whiskers quivering. "Your tail's super long!" Budderhats squealed with delight, pretending to bat at it from where she was sitting.

Thunderstrike blushed and rested her tail on her back, letting it drape towards her shoulder, she felt uncomfortable when people brought it up since the mention of it from other cats usually meant the follow of verbal abuse. Snapping out of her thoughts Thunderstrike realized that Budderhats had started to babble on about something and she completely hadn't noticed. "-So the other cat lay down next to its twoleg and she was sitting in this weird rocky thing. Not actually real rocks rocky but it wasn't staying still but she was sitting on it. And his tail got like- stepped on by it, and it looked like it really hurt but I jumped on the sitting part when the twoleg got up and went inside it's nest. I rocked it a couple times and it was really fun so I did it again but I fell off and-"

"Whoa what? You completely lost me."

"Oh," Budderhats giggled in reply, "Sorry, Destiny says I have a tendency to talk about too many things at once. She says I'm really hyperactive."  
"No really?" Thunderstrike muttered half to herself.

"What?"

"Nothing," Thunder looked up, she heard another cat approaching and not soon after a grey she-cat with blue tinting broke the bushes. "Five minutes. I leave you alone for FIVE MINUTES and you disappear," she exclaimed, "What is WRONG with you!"

"A lot of things," Budderhats mused. The cat sighed in annoyance, fur bristling, "I've had it up to here with your antics get back to-" The cat looked up, shooting back in surprise and abruptly stopping in mid-sentence upon noticing Thunderstrike who was sitting impatiently, tail flicking back and forth. _A Kittypet for sure by the way she's acting, _Thunder thought. "Clan cat!" she screeched, pulling Budderhats by the scruff. Budderhats resisted and shook her off, "You're being silly again!" She giggled, "This is Thunderstrike! She's my new friend!" Friend. Surprise hit Thunderstrike like a stone, that wasn't a word she had heard directed at her for seasons. "Friends with a clan cat, have you gone more insane than usual?!" The cat was shocked. Budderhats nodded, looking over at Thunderstrike with expectance in her eyes.

"R-really?" Thunderstrike tilted her head, "A friend?"

"Yeah!" Budderhats exclaimed, "This is Destiny by the way, she's usually really nice." Thunderstrike nodded a hello and Destiny looked puzzled, "You're not going to eat us?"

"Eat you?! Starclan no, what would give you that idea?" she shuddered a little, "You cats and your ridiculous stories." Destiny was edgy still, she didn't quite believe it and was sticking close to Budderhats, "I'll get everyone else, I-I mean if we can pass." Thunder suddenly looked anxiously back at the direction of camp then back towards these cats, the ones who didn't hate her. "All right," she said, "But can I ask you something?"

"What?" Destiny looked at her suspiciously.

"Can I come with you?"


	3. Jailbreak

"Why would you want to come with us!" Destiny exclaimed, seeming doubtful, "What about all those clanmates of yours?"

"They aren't- I don't want to talk about it," Thunderstrike muttered, she had started avoiding both their gazes. She didn't want them to end up like every other cat, she had just met them.

"Why not?" Destiny continued drilling.

"I don't need to explain myself to you!"

"Then maybe I won't let you come with us." She hissed a response.

"Watch it," Thunder growled, "Might I remind you I know this territory like the back of my paw and if you crossed without my guidance you-

"Oh please!" Budderhats squealed, "Can she come!? It would be so fun, I promise I'll watch her and take care of her and… and…"

"Excuse me I can take care of myself." Thunderstrike replied indignantly. Budderhats looked at Destiny with pleading eyes, whimpering a little, when a call interrupted their session. "Destiny, Budderhats? Where are you guys!" It was a male voice, followed by squealing and loud shuffling which caused a yell of, "Kittypet! Get out of that tree before I you get stuck again. I don't want to have to drag you out like last time." Budderhats perked up at the commotion, "That decides it; she's staying," Budderhats squealed, "Everyone's already here!" She was right, a blue tom with darker spots came through the bushes followed by three she-cats, one brown and gold, one grey and one… rainbow. It was the weirdest gaggle of cats Thunderstrike had ever laid eyes on.

Destiny sighed and walked over towards the group, stopping and motioning them all to follow her as she fell behind Thunderstrike. Tentatively Thunder started to guide them to the other side of the territory, stopping and scenting the air. A border patrol was coming towards them, and picking up speed. Nobody else seemed to notice, they were distractedly chatting about their guide and most wondering who she was. "Guys!" Thunderstrike exclaimed urgently, "We need to group and get out of the territory sight line quickly, there's a border patrol coming and they won't be too happy about this if they catch us." Head-butting Destiny across the border she watched the group take off at rabbits pace before she followed suit and belted into the trees.

Stopping only when she caught up, Thunderstrike collapsed to the ground panting next to Budderhats, "Great Starclan that was too close for comfort." Destiny just got back up and padded away, the group following her, going through the trees they came to a wire twoleg fence that was falling apart. Everyone looked winded and there were complaints from the brown and gold she-cat but they continued, past cut down trees, walking stiffly past a sleeping monster; one bigger than the ones on the thunderpath, then coming to an old and abandoned looking twoleg barn. Everyone started to file in gratefully, besides Thunderstrike who sat there unsure what to make of the large twoleg nest, having never seen one herself. Budderhats padded back outside at her absence, "What's wrong?" she mewed.

"I've never seen a twoleg nest before, especially one this big," she shivered, "I don't like it."

"This isn't a twoleg _nest _silly! It's a barn, they use it to store things, but no twoleg has been here for quite a while," she said, "It's safe, I promise." Budderhats padded behind Thunderstrike and half shoved her inside, bounding up a fallen board to a second level. Having renewed enthusiasm, which wasn't much in the first place, she followed Budderhats up the board, being met with the sight of cats settling themselves all around. One looked up with a curious expression; others disregarded her being too tired to care. Destiny looked up moments after she came up, still radiating complete mistrust.

There was a mutter passed from the rainbow colored cat to the blue tom, "Who put ants in her pelt this morning?"

"I don't know, she's been acting like this since we found her and Budderhats with that cat."

"Who is that anyway?" the blue cat looked over at her as he spoke, not realizing she was looking straight at them. Squeaking with surprise he hurried himself to another spot farther away from where she was, making her sigh and flop onto her stomach in defeat. She barely even noticed when the brown and gold she-cat sat down beside her, "Hi!" she exclaimed, "I'm Kittypet! We didn't have the chance to introduce ourselves earlier and I thought that I should start!"

"H-hi," Thunderstrike mewed back, startled, "I'm Thunderstrike."

"Thunderstrike?" she giggled, "That's a silly name!"

"My name is silly? What kind of dignified name is Kittypet?" Kittypet had to think a minute before answering, rubbing one paw over the other thoughtfully, "You know… I don't know!" she replied happily. The grey she-cat padded over subdued, "O-oh are we doing introductions? Then I'm Sheep… I mean not to interrupt you guys! But I-

"Whoa Sheep calm down! She's not going to bite your tail off," Kittypet tried to calm her. But the cat just kept on worrying like she had offended them, "She's right you know, I'm okay with it. I'm Thunderstrike," she soothed.

She didn't see a use in introducing herself by her full clan name anymore, nobody was going to use it and she wasn't exactly a clan cat anymore, if she ever had counted as one. Sheep just finally walked off, still in a tizzy about Starclan-knows-what. _All right then, _Thunderstrike frowned, _that was odd._ As if reading her thoughts Kittypet sighed, "She's really shy, give her a while. Once she gets used to you she'll be fine." The other two cats came up to introduce themselves, the rainbow colored she-cat sticking quite close to the tom which made him flinch uncomfortably and growl in his throat. The she-cat was introduced as Tessa and the blue tom BerryJay, "Hey," BerryJay piped up, "We were going to go hunting, do you want to come with us?"

"Sure," Thunderstrike stretched and yawned, "Sounds fun."

They all bounded out of the barn, Thunderstrike only half consciously taking lead as she scented mouse, she stalked towards the scent, keeping low as she motioned with her tail for BerryJay and Tessa to stay there and keep low themselves. They nodded and crouched where they were as Thunder continued to stalk the mouse, obscured from the view of the other two she pounced and came back up with a mouse in her jaws, "How do you hunt like that?" Tessa asked, "It didn't see you or anything!"

"Well a mouse will most likely hear you before see you, aren't you taught this?" BerryJay shook his head confused, "Where did you learn this?"

"My mentor taught me when I was part of the clan back where we came."

"You're a clan cat?!" they both jumped back in surprise.

Not this again, that old rumor that kittypets spread around that clan cats were vicious. She sighed and swiped a paw over her ear, "Listen I just-

Something made her stop. She put the mouse down and scented the air, what hit her nose nearly made her jump out of her fur and she abandoned the mouse. "Move!" she yowled, shoving them both in the direction of the barn. It was too late, dozens of tiny furry bodies streamed out of unseen hiding places, appearing out of what seemed like nowhere.

Rats.


	4. Fighting Like Rats

What seemed like hundreds of rats flooded to surround the startled cats, jumping on them, clawing, biting. Tessa yowled in surprise swiping at them and trying to fight through the mass to get to the others only to collapse and be almost instantly covered in squealing bodies. "Tessa!" BerryJay yowled, throwing a rat off his legs he tried to make a dash to where she had fallen. He started throwing them off of her back and pulled her back up. She only gave him a sidelong glance before launching back at them, kicking and yowling, "Flea-pelts! Cowards!" she screeched.

_She said it was safe. She reassured me. Did she lie to me? Why do I always cause horrible things to happen to cats?_

Thunderstrike had become lost in her own thoughts. She was becoming infuriated with herself as she felt the rats swarming all over her body and she only half noticed when Budderhats and Kittypet had joined the fray, fighting towards them. "Guys, we're coming! Hold on!" Budderhats yowled. Rats were being thrown, falling to the ground in a writhing heap and their squealing and squeaking made an attempt to drown out every other noise. No. Thunderstrike couldn't stop, she could help them with her training and she knew it. She started to throw rats off of her back, crushing a few with hard blows from her paws but not without the cost of a few bites to her paws.

They were nothing compared to the others though, especially Tessa who had fallen a second time and had almost stayed there if not for BerryJay being there to fish her out again. Something occurred to her as she fought, "Where's Sheep?!" she suddenly yowled. Budderhats looked up surprised from the group of rats she had been busy with, "What?!" She looked around, "She had been with us when we left the barn! She must have run off!" This couldn't be happening. No. She couldn't have, she might as well be dead. Horrible mistake, she let herself weaken if only for a moment and she fell to the rats, and the others weren't close enough to get to her.

An earsplitting screech. That's all that was heard before a flash of lightning seared the sky behind the struggling warrior, making the rats flail away in terror. The booming sound of thunder soon followed, the rats dispersed. Every cat looked up to the sky, pelts bristling; there wasn't a single drop of rain to be seen. It was a dry storm, they weren't common in those lands and nerves were high. Then Budderhats seemed to remember the fallen Thunderstrike and the missing Sheep, she made a mad dash on wounded legs and shook Thunderstrike. She coughed and the orange and yellow eyes opened, dull, "What in the name of Starclan happened," she muttered. As if to respond another boom of thunder met her and lightning lit the sky without hitting the ground.

Thunderstrike got up, "Careful! You could hurt yourself more!" Kittypet jumped in. She laughed and shoved her off, "It's all right, I think I just fainted. The bites don't even hurt badly." But she knew she was lying, if only a little, there was a quite deep bite right above her shoulder and she was limping a little. She looked over to Tessa, "Are you all right?"

"I'm fine; I think the worst of it is on my front legs." At her response Thunderstrike had turned away and started to head near the barn, lightning and thunder still raging. "I'm not making anyone come with me, but I'm going to go find Sheep. She must be scared out of her wits and I don't want to leave her in this bad an electrical storm."

"You shouldn't go alone, the rats might still be out there and you can't fight them off with just one set of paws. I'll go," Kittypet stepped forward. She was the best off, just a few minor bites. Thunderstrike nodded and flicked her tail at the others, "Get back to the barn and stay up on top level, we'll be back; I'll look for some herbs while we're out as well." Another boom of thunder met her words, and she laughed as she started to pad off with Kittypet, _I must sound insane,_ she thought, _treating this like a nice outing._

_Somebody needs to seem like they have confidence. Might as well be me, even if it's faked._


	5. Hope of Trust

"I'm so, so sorry! I got scared when I heard all the rats and I just panicked! I didn't mean to- um…" Sheep was following, blushing profusely from sheer embarrassment. Thunderstrike laughed through the bundle of herbs that was in her mouth, "It's all right, we're all still alive. I think," she turned back to the ladder and bounded up. Everyone greeted her with concerned looks as she busily sorted the herbs into piles, placing the one she had in her tail on the floor as well. "You look like a monkey," Budderhats managed to laugh.

"And I smell like one too. I rolled in the garlic that was growing over in that old twoleg garden; I'd suggest some of you do that as well. It may not smell great but you'll thank me later," Thunder laughed as she curled her tail to look like a monkeys, "oh, ook, ook."

That got a few giggles and Thunderstrike noticed Kittypet and Sheep finally heading up the ladder themselves. Back to sorting the herbs for her, everyone was going to need them. Poppy seeds, burdock root, and dock leaves. Just enough for everyone, "Hey Kittypet, could you find some cobwebs?"

"What for?"

"To seal on the poultices I need to get started on." Kittypet nodded in reply and bounded over to all the crevices and corners as Thunder padded over to each cat, she gave them all poppy seeds to chew on as she worked on poultices, applied them then having Kittypet bound over and give her a wad of cobweb.

"There. That should hold everyone until tomorrow morning," Thunder finally let herself breathe normally as she finished dressing a couple ragged wounds on Kittypet's forelegs.

"What about you?" Berryjay asked. Thunder smiled subdued and padded over to a wall, "There aren't any more herbs left, and besides, I rolled in the garlic, I'll be fine." BerryJay seemed as if he didn't quite believe her but he let the subject drop and curled up in some hay in the far corner. Budderhats gave her a grin and went to join BerryJay who had been quickly joined by Tessa as well.

Sheep looked on nervously then continued to stare at her paws as she had been doing almost the entire time. "T-thanks for going out to find me you guys… I was really scared," she was stumbling over her words and fidgeting. Kittypet stood by her and rested her tail on Sheep's shoulder comfortingly, "It's just fine, come on I think we all need rest," she murmured, "Coming Destiny?"

"No," she huffed bristling, "I'm going to watch for the rats." Kittypet looked at Thunder and gave a shrug before heading for the hay, as soon as she sat down however, Thunderstrike groaned. She knew she wasn't looking for the rats; she was keeping an eye on _her_. Thunder watched the other cats drift into sleep, Budderhats especially who was twitching in her sleep. Finally Thunderstrike let herself surrender to sleep.

It was still dark but the moon was high in the sky, Thunderstrike looked over at Destiny bleary-eyed who was lying with her paws over the side of the loft. She was still awake and sitting there defensively. Thunder got up and padded quietly to join her, lying to her left. "What?" Destiny growled under her breath.

"I'm not asking you to like me," Thunder sighed, "But I'm not going to pull anything, I just ask for trust, just a little bit."

"Why should I trust a clan cat?" the response was hissed.

"Stop it. I really never was; the only reason I came with you was because Budderhats was the first cat to call me friend since I was six moons.

I was hoping to escape the judgment. But I guess that'll never happen."

Thunder sighed and got up, turning back to her nest. She didn't notice the surprised expression that followed her there.

**Author's note**

I'm going to be updating less frequently for a while, my computer is broken and we're waiting on repairs, I'm using my brother's machine at the moment, so don't expect a lot.


	6. Chapter 6

**Authors Note: I'm super sorry this took so long, writers block decided to smack me upside the head, expect more frequent updates from now on (of course depending on school) sorry about the quality too, I really feel like I could have done better but I felt the need to get this out.**

"Everyone okay?," there was a yawn from Thunderstrike who hadn't gotten more than an hour of sleep at best, she had been too worried.

"Yeah."

"I think so."

"Kittypet get your paw out of my face!" a muffled shout from Tessa who was trapped underneath Kittypet's foreleg with her paw jabbed in her face. But Kittypet was out cold and the only reply was snoring and Budderhats laughing.

Destiny padded up from behind her, "I'm fine, just a little tired, do we want to start moving like we planned or wait?" Thunderstrike thought for a minute and turned to the rest of the group, "I'm not sure, what do you guys think?" There was no dispute, they all agreed to start moving that day, "I don't want another attack, it'd be best to leave," BerryJay added. There was a murmur of agreement and everyone gathered, even Kittypet and Tessa who had finally gotten untangled. So they all filed out of the barn, going down the single board in a filed line, warily they passed through the field, through the opposite fence, and didn't calm down until they were out of sight of the barn.

"Shouldn't we hunt now, I don't know about everyone else but I'm starving, how about we all split off in pairs?" everyone nodded and sort of gathered by themselves, Kittypet and Sheep, Tessa and Berryjay (of course she always stuck to him like Velcro) and Budderhats, Thunderstrike and Destiny were left in a group with each other. Destiny waved over to a large oak tree that was covered in brush, and lowered into a hunting crouch, the other two following. By spreading around that area they managed pretty well, catching a thrush and two mice. Budderhats catching the last one, may it be added very ungracefully, Destiny almost had to yank her back by the tail to keep her from crashing into the tree.

But Budderhats came back with her usual cheer and bounced past the other two she-cats, unaware they weren't following. Destiny let out a purring laugh, "She's such a thistle-brain."

"I hadn't noticed," Thunderstrike replied as she padded beside her, letting slip a small smile. They made it back to the spot they had started and lay down to wait for the other cats, "You know... that thunder and lighting storm yesterday was pretty freaky, it came out of nowhere," Destiny suddenly commented. Thunderstrike tensed and looked away from her, "Must have been starclan watching out for us," she mumbled.

"Star what now?"

"Oh right, you wouldn't know. There the clan of the ancestors," she flicked her tail towards the sky, "Whenever a cat dies they join starclan where everything's practically perfect. Each star represents a different cat."

"Wow," she murmured, "So they can do stuff like change the weather like that?"

"Yep, they send signs like that, there were gatherings where the two clans got together, whenever fighting was going to start clouds covered the moon."

Before Destiny could ask any more questions the rest of the group came barreling through the undergrowth, nearly trampling both of the two she-cats, "Hey! Tessa get off me!" Thunderstrike squealed impatiently. Tessa jolted and struggled up, "Sorry," she mewed sheepishly.

"What was that whole thing about anyway? Were you being chased? Was it the rats again?" Destiny worried.

"Nope, we were racing," Kittypet exclaimed, "And I won! Eat my dust!" The brown and gold she-cat pranced over to where Destiny was sitting with an exasperated expression plastered on her face, looking quite happy with herself.

"Well I'd say we should eat and get going again, were burning daylight," Destiny said. Kittypet nodded her head knowingly, suddenly going stone still but going straight back to prancing as soon as she started. Thunder picked a mouse and lay down next to Kittypet and Budderhats and they all ate, making jokes. Berryjay who had been listening nearly choked on his thrush laughing, it didn't help when Kittypet made a joke about him looking blue in the face. But when they settled back down Thunderstrike couldn't help but glance over at Destiny who was sitting with Sheep talking, _something's different today... she actually started conversation with me, _Thunder thought, _yesterday she wanted nothing to do with me at all_.

"Hey Thunderstrike, you okay? I said we're leaving now," Budderhats prodded her with a paw, snapping her back to reality.

"Oh, right," she dazed, "Coming."

"Where are we headed anyway? Any plans?" Sheep asked quietly.

"Yeah! We're headed to the lake, it's perfect swimming weather!" Tessa purred. There was a round of cheers from everyone except Destiny and Thunderstrike who both let out low groans, "I'll pass," Destiny muttered.

"I second that." But the other cats were chatting among themselves happily, ignoring them both. Budderhats lagged to let Thunderstrike catch up and let out an excited squeal, "Isn't this awesome?! I can't wait!"

"Budderhats, you do realize I don't like water? I told you that when you showed up, remember?"

Budderhats had to think for a minute before coming back at her with a blank smile, "Nope, can't say I recall that," she laughed. Thunder sighed quietly and shook her head at her friend's absent-mindedness. "Don't worry, it's going to be awesome! We always go down to the lake when it gets warm!" Budderhats reassured, purring.

"I'll take your word for it."


End file.
